diff --git a/fs/9p/vfs_dir.c b/fs/9p/vfs_dir.c
index 323f85352f6a..733ec42258bc 100644
--- a/fs/9p/vfs_dir.c
+++ b/fs/9p/vfs_dir.c
@@ -196,8 +196,12 @@ static int v9fs_dir_readdir_dotl(struct file *file, struct dir_context *ctx)
 			if (!dir_emit(ctx, curdirent.d_name,
 				      strlen(curdirent.d_name),
 				      QID2INO(&curdirent.qid),
-				      curdirent.d_type))
+				      curdirent.d_type)) {
+				kfree(curdirent.d_name);
 				return 0;
+			}
+
+			kfree(curdirent.d_name);
 
 			ctx->pos = curdirent.d_off;
 			rdir->head += err;
diff --git a/include/net/9p/client.h b/include/net/9p/client.h
index 262c2a5db078..e4e5cb102fb1 100644
--- a/include/net/9p/client.h
+++ b/include/net/9p/client.h
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ struct p9_dirent {
 	struct p9_qid qid;
 	u64 d_off;
 	unsigned char d_type;
-	char d_name[256];
+	char *d_name;
 };
 
 struct iov_iter;
diff --git a/net/9p/protocol.c b/net/9p/protocol.c
index 67b0586d807f..d4335884e0c0 100644
--- a/net/9p/protocol.c
+++ b/net/9p/protocol.c
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ int p9dirent_read(struct p9_client *clnt, char *buf, int len,
 {
 	struct p9_fcall fake_pdu;
 	int ret;
-	char *nameptr;
+	char *nameptr = NULL;
 
 	fake_pdu.size = len;
 	fake_pdu.capacity = len;
@@ -785,15 +785,7 @@ int p9dirent_read(struct p9_client *clnt, char *buf, int len,
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	ret = strscpy(dirent->d_name, nameptr, sizeof(dirent->d_name));
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		p9_debug(P9_DEBUG_ERROR,
-			 "On the wire dirent name too long: %s\n",
-			 nameptr);
-		kfree(nameptr);
-		return ret;
-	}
-	kfree(nameptr);
+	dirent->d_name = nameptr;
 
 	return fake_pdu.offset;
 }